Top 5 Gifts for the Gravel Cyclist
For the 2018 holiday season we crafted a special gift guide with some of our favorite hard and soft goods from the year. Each product was tested on numerous adventures and selected for its proven durability, clean design and overall value.
1. Lezyne MEGA XL GPS Computer
When durability, pricing and battery life are high on the priority list, the Lezyne GPS computers are hard to beat. The latest from Lezyne on the GPS front is the Mega XL, and we think it’s easily their best unit yet. Improvements include a sleeker design, a 2.7in 240x400 high-resolution display, option for horizontal viewing, off-line maps and a whopping 48 hours of battery life. Of course, the unit can also pair with just about every meter, monitor, phone and sensor imaginable. For gravel adventures we’ve loved the easy ability to upload .gpx or .tcx files via their GPS Root website and run turn-by-turn navigation when paired with the GPS Ally phone app. At just under $200, this is our favorite GPS computer available today.
Learn more at Lezyne
2. Fog City Gear Saddlebag
Easily our favorite seat bag, the Fog City Saddlebag is handmade in the USA by San Francisco based Fog City Gear. Small, well-designed and durable, this saddlebag fits everything we need nicely behind the seatpost. We love how it mounts securely with a single, wide velcro strap to the saddle rails. While other saddlebags will often attach to the seatpost and cause unsightly scratches, this one avoids the seatpost altogether. With additional bottle cage mounts on most modern gravel bikes, the days of bulky saddlebags are finally gone. If you’re looking for a functional, dropper-post friendly bag that works on just about any bike, definitely check out Fog City Gear. We have the green Martexin waxed canvas version, they also come in X-Pac or 1000D Cordura versions in a variety of colors. Bags are 2" tall, 2" wide, and 5" long.
Learn more at Fog City Gear
3. Dynaplug Racer
For tubeless repair you don’t have to always resort to a spare tube. For larger holes that sealant won’t fix, the Dynaplug Racer is handy repair tool that easily fits in a seat bag or jersey pocket. Dynaplug designed the Racer to be their quickest tool for tubeless repair. Promising to plug medium to large punctures, the Racer stores 1 Regular Plug and 1 Megaplug. The Racer kit is machined from solid billet 6061 aluminum and weighs just .816 ounces. For everything it can do in such a compact package, you’ll never ride without it.
Learn more at Dynaplug
4. Ritchey WCS EvoMax Handlebars
No strangers to cycling innovation, Ritchey Design has been creating high-quality bicycle components since 1974. These WCS EvoMax Road Handlebars feature a 12-degree flared drop, made from durable triple-butted 7075 alloy. The moderate flare provides added forearm clearance when in the drops and greater leverage compared to traditional road bars. The ovalized top section feels comfortable on the hands, and Ritchey hard goods always look great. An ideal shape for mixed terrain builds, these adventure bars would be a nice upgrade for most stock gravel or cross bikes on the market.
Learn more at RitcheyLogic.com
5. Absolute Black Oval Chainring
One of our favorite component upgrades of 2018, the AbsoluteBLACK oval chainrings look great and make a noticeable improvement on gravel. Available in a variety of 1x and 2x setups, AbsoluteBLACK makes some of the finest chainrings in the world. We rode a 1X oval direct mount traction chainring for a SRAM Force drivetrain in Racing Red. Also available in Black, the elliptical shape provides a smoother pedal stroke and offers improved traction on trails and dirt roads.
Learn more at AbsoluteBLACK
AbsoluteBLACK 1X OVAL Direct Mount Traction Chainring for SRAM 84.99
BONUS: Gravelstoke Enjoy Tee
And finally, for those looking for that special gift for the gravel cyclist in your life, we present you the all new Enjoy Tee. Our latest design is a refreshing take on a classic look. Available in the ever-popular Triblend Green and super-soft Black Heather, we guarantee this will be your favorite post-grind t-shirt.
We hope you enjoyed our list of top gift suggestions for the gravel cyclist. Be sure to give us your thoughts or let us know your other suggestions below!